Located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Gardenview Horticultural Park is a botanical garden. It lies in or next to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply.
Gardenview Horticultural Park (16 acres) is a nonprofit botanical garden and arboretum located at 16711 Pearl Road, Strongsville, Ohio. It is open weekend afternoons to non-members; an admission fee is charged. The park was begun in 1949 by horticulturist Henry Ross (deceased November 1, 2014) on a private lot filled with blackberry brambles and weeds atop blue and yellow clay. In his extensive work on the garden, Ross has introduced dozens of cultivars including the white-leafed Ajuga 'Arctic Fox' and the mildew-resistant Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet'. He opened the garden for public viewing in 1961. The park now includes 6 acres (24,000 m2) of English Cottage Gardens (emphasizing plants with variegated, golden, silver, or colored foliage) and a 10-acre (40,000 m2) arboretum. The arboretum contains some 2,500 unusual trees, including 500 varieties of flowering crabapples underplanted...From the Wikipedia article “Gardenview Horticultural Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gardenview Horticultural Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 57° ENE | 9:05 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 121° ESE | 5:02 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 11m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 13m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Gardenview Horticultural Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:56 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.52 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (84%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 66 | 79 | 79 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 94 | 86 | 76 | 65 |
| Low °F | -10 | -11 | -1 | 18 | 27 | 40 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 29 | 13 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Gardenview Horticultural Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gardenview Horticultural Park?
What time is golden hour at Gardenview Horticultural Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gardenview Horticultural Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gardenview Horticultural Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gardenview Horticultural Park?
How far is Gardenview Horticultural Park from Strongsville?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.